Coupler shank and yoke connection



Nov. 21, 1933. E, H, SCHMIDT 1,936,371

COUPLER SHANK AND YOKE CONNECTION Filed Sept. 21. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 21, 1933. E, H, SCHWDT 1,936,371

COUPLER SHANK AND YOKE CONNECTION Filed Sept. 21, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 @www Vthe retaining members 5 in position on the Patented Nov. 21, 1933 FFEC CUELER SHANK AND YUKE CGNNECTEN Ernest El. Schmidt, Cleveland Heights, Ohio, as-

signor to National Malleable and Steel Castings Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application September 2,1, 1927 Serial No. 220,920

9 Claims.

My invention relates to coupler shank and yoke connections, and comprises a structure which permits radial movement of the coupler relative to the yoke in such a way as to give equalized pulling and hurling. My improved construction also provides means by which the coupler and yoke may be secured together without the use of keys or rivets and which may be readily assembled and disassembled. My invention also comprises various features which 1 shall hereinafter describe and claim.

1n the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a horizontal section of the rear end of a coupler and forward end of a yoke embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section thereof on lines 11-11 of Fig. l; Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section on lines 11i- III of Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section on lines Ill- 1V of Fig. 2.

Referring more specically to the drawings, A indicates the coupler shank and B the yoke. The arl s 2 of the yoke at their forward ends are connected by the webs or walls 3 to form a hood. The arms 2 on their inner faces in the region of the hood have recesses Il to re eive the retaining members 5. The forward and rear walls 6 and 7 of the recesses 4 are arcuate in form and the adjacent forward faces 8 of the retaining members 5 are curved correspondingly to the walls 6 to permit lateral angling of the coupler relative to the yoke. The retaining members 5 have rearwardly facing shoulders 9 abutting against forward faces 1U of the coupler butt or liner block extensions 1l. At each side of the coupler butt the retaining members 5 are flanged over at l2, as is shown in Figs. 1 and 3, to hold coupler butt and cause them to a .gie or rotate with the coupler relative to the yoke. When the coupler angles to one side or the other, the flanges l2 on that side will enter the aperture 13 in the adjacent side wall 3 of the yoke hood.

It will be seen that the distance between the inner edge of one of the yoke gibs 14 and the adjacent surface l5 of the coupler shank A is equal to or greater than the total height of the retaining member to permit the assembly of the parts, as will later be described.

1n order to provide for radial bufling the rear end of the coupler preferably terminates in the form of a concave face 16 which may be formed upon a separate supporting member 17, secured to the rear end of the coupler shank by means of a projection 18 inserted through the rear aperture 19 which is usually provided at the rear end (Cl. 21B- 971) of the coupler butt. The projection-18 has a vertical opening 2) through it, which when the parts are in place is in register with the rear vertically extending rivet hole 21 of the coupler butt. The member 17 is then secured in the coupler butt by driving a pin or piece of pipe 22 through the rivet hole 21 and through the opening 20 in the extension 18, thus locking the member 17 rigidly to the rear face of the coupler shank. Against the concave face 1.6 of the member 17 nts the forwardly facing convex face 23 of the buiing piece 24. The rear face 25 of the bufling piece 24 is flat and is intended to engage with a draft gear, the forward element of which is indicated at 26. The buiiing piece 24 is secured against rear face 15 of the member 17 by means of a dowel 27 which extends through an elongated aperture 2S in the bufng piece 24, upon which the buing piece is held by means of a washer 29, over which the dowel 27 is riveted. The elongated aperture 28 in the bufling piece 24 permits the buiiing piece 24 to swing laterally relative to the coupler shank and the supporting member 17, so that the buliing piece 24 can always bear flat against the front follower 26 regardless of the angular position of the shank A. overall dimension of the coupler butt may be varied by increasing or decreasing the thickness of the supporting member 17 and the boiling piece or either of them, to compensate for use in connection. with draf., gears of varying construction.

In assembling i; nroved mechanism the bufng piece 24 is secured upon. the coupler butt by means of Ls supporting ieee 17. When the coupler A is assembled with the yoke B, before either is placed in position the car. To effect this the retaining members 5 are laid against the upper and lower surfaces of the shank forward of the coupler butt extensions 11. The coupler and the members 5 with it are then slid into the forward end of the yoke hood until the shoulders or faces 10 on the coupler butt come opposite the rear surfaces 7 of the recesses e in the yoke. This brings the lower retaining member 5 in position to drop down into the bottom recess 4, and then the upper retaining member is lifted into the upper recess in the position shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The coupler is then pulledforward until its surfaces 1G come up against the shoulders 901c the retainers. The subsequent insertion of the draft gear 26 in place in the yoke locks the entire arrangement together.

When the parts have been placed in position the on the car it will be seen that the coupler is free when under draft to angle laterally or move radially relative to the yoke, by reason of 'the arc-shaped 1oeari a of the forivr-:l faces 8 or" the retaining ibers 5 upon tlie corresiondingly shaped fases on the yoke gibs i4.

it is desirable to construct tire pulling surfaces 6 on the yolze on a rafdns oi' oinvature so that as tlie coupler tes also t tne center of such radius the corner butt or tne attached parts co* e into Contact Witn tne rear portion of the inner of the side wall 3 of the yoke iood approxi iateiy at tne saine iine that the shank will ei f forward end oi the opposite nood, as is shown in broken lines in t will therefore oe seen that tne :muni amount et .lateral angling or radial mov rent between coupler and yoke is provided. This arrangeinnt aiso provides for the maiiinuin amount or" movement under bnn, a d in bot draft and buff gives a fnil and eqn between coupier and yoke.

The terins expressions iv ployed need as s of rlimitation., and nave use of suoli terins and f any mechanical ecinvaie and described, or portions th that various strnctnrai Within the scope ei tire What claim @rising a ve tending d nieve-idle at all longitud'nally iova coun' nection coin- 2. A prising a Verwal plane yoke ia in vertically extend recesses inner i i its arins; retaining in said recesses and having en arc-she said r ing, 1: ners being coupler relative to the yoke during angling "i niovanie aan tiie yoke relative to the couper during in' 3. A con' prising a extending reces ret-ining .ni-ein ha -D end oi radial inove eieinent of the A coupler shank n ing a vertical plane milling c o aining Lav'ng fac drilling a 1d being: iield vni d mov oy vertical,

ielative to tne coupler.

hood also having r cesses for the reception of said retairo'fngr "in-embers, said retaining members boing of a ne. than distance 'from the top of tne :nani: to the bottom of the adjacent gi 'nit the insertion of tne retaining r through tl e forward aped, and means ers to move radially relative to the yoke at all times. sin of 'the vclass described, a couto canso -o with the coun 6. In niecno pier having a a yoke adapted to receive said a rfta er between said shank and yoke, shank being movable longitudinally relative to said ietai means for preventing relative longitud' al movement between said retainer and yoke and interlocking means for causing said retainr to angle at all times with said shank.

7. Enit ti conjoler bu.. draft buffing face, and a r pluraiity of interconeacn of sai-fl members having a .d voutt dr 't gear reiso having an e ooi-ierotrev Witn a complemenother of said members,

mene-ber and an elongated e-.noer to slidably receive said otto-ra. walls, said spaced 'top ii ving posed each seat transveioe front end wall, and

seats; of a ooi fier having top and botansverse shoulders on tne butt portion of ik thereof, said co1 oler butt corresponding to the snaeing i o en the top and bottno yoke; a locking block dioeats, each block have. t end face bearing on would-cred engagement with the end wall of tne corresponding seat, eacli sloot: also nav.' a pocket in which the n e; the coupler utt is seated, ing; spaced side walls overlapping 'e the oonnier butt to lock said ceinent with. respect t, and ti verse front Wall Y. J n the corresponding shoulder of con .o butt to l t sativa. s. mov nt of t'- ,e conpl r w? el, the locking block and being moya. 7o relatively to the ardly of tn yoke.

yo o Mld con s a Coupler,

n nner v1. 'ebytiie n. SCHMIDT.

'ne said members including 

